


Boundaries

by maydei



Series: The Slow Seduction of Stephen Jameson [2]
Category: The Tomorrow People (2013)
Genre: Bribery, Dubious Morality, Emotional Manipulation, First Kiss, Logic, M/M, Mild underage, Mildly Dubious Consent, Moral Ambiguity, Power Play, Seduction, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-10
Updated: 2013-10-10
Packaged: 2017-12-29 00:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/998586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maydei/pseuds/maydei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jedikiah likes to push, especially when it comes to Stephen's metaphorical buttons. (He pushes every single one.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Boundaries

**Author's Note:**

> [Join us.](http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/jediphen)

Later that night, after Mom and Luca had gone to bed, Stephen sat alone in the living room, the dimmed light from the kitchen casting a dull glow. The silence was his friend, especially considering that _Uncle Jed_ —Stephen sneered—was staying in the guest bedroom. And Stephen definitely needed time to think.

A noise caught his attention, and Stephen barely had time to turn his head before a weight was pressing him down into the couch. Stephen struggled, but ultimately, he couldn't yet control this by will—and he was pinned.

It didn't stop him from struggling.

At least until an irritated, familiar voice hissed, "Stop squirming, Stephen."

The shock alone bought his attacker a moment of stillness, and that was enough for them to move away. Stephen's chest heaved with quick, startled breaths.

The hand that touched him now was careful—gentle, even. Through the darkness, Jedikiah's face showed intrigue... and maybe a bit of guilt.

"What the _fuck_ ," Stephen hissed, still gasping for breath.

"Apologies," Jedikiah said solemnly. "I was wondering what you'd do."

"You _attacked_ me. In my _living room_ ," Stephen snapped. He pressed one hand over his thundering heart, clammy even through his tee-shirt. "In the middle of the night—and what the _hell_ are you thinking, Jedikiah?!"

"Just Jed," he replied, nonchalant. He rocked back and sat on the arm of the couch; _perched_ , really, and watched.

"Yeah, sure, what's a nickname among family?" Stephen growled, leaning back and sprawling out vindictively. If Jed's ass started to hurt, he wouldn't find a good seat here, no sir.

"Associates, Stephen, please." He didn't move a muscle. Stephen would hold out hope, then. “The word _brother_ was my ticket in the door. Your father and I—yes, we were brothers, in a sense. We grew up together, under the same roof. But by blood?” Jed rested his chin on his hand and idly tapped his lip with his finger. Stephen averted his eyes, and Jed made a soft, amused sound. “My parents had me naturally. By the time they decided they wanted another child, neither were able to sire them. Your father...” Stephen glanced up; Jed's mouth was twisted into a smirk. “...was adopted.”

Stephen let out a slow breath and stomped on the feeling that tingled like relief. “So you're a liar.”

“Not at all,” Jed replied easily, and with a smooth movement, sank onto the couch cushion. Stephen squawked and pulled back his feet, only to feel them caught once Jed settled, and were rearranged to rest on Jed's thighs. His stare was challenging, and uncomfortable as Stephen was, he wouldn't back down. If he didn't back down from a gun and a syringe, then darkness and casual touches were nothing at all to fear. “We _were_ brothers, but not by blood. Everything I said was true. I became an evolutionary geneticist because I was fascinated with what he could do. I wanted to understand _why._ And I did love him, Stephen, you should know that.”

Stephen tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling, thoughts racing. It took all his will power not to twitch when he felt a cold finger make contact with his bare ankle.

They sat in silence for a time, and the finger traced circles around the nub of bone. He wanted to tell Jed to stop, but couldn't find the words.

“I meant what I said; you do look like him,” Jed said finally. Stephen didn't look at him, even as the full length of Jed's hand curled around his calf. “And you get attached the way he used to. Suddenly, violently.” His fingers started a slow, methodical series of movements; _index–middle–ring–pinkie–ring–middle–index_ , over and back again.

The breath Stephen sucked in was audible, this time.

“He and I, Stephen—we had that in common.”

With a sudden pull, Stephen was dragged flat onto the sofa, and found himself with Jed hovering over him. Sturdy arms were braced on either side of his head, and though they weren't quite flush, their bodies brushed from thigh to chest. There was a whisper from their clothing, drowned out by Stephen's gasps. When Jed shifted enough to lay a single finger over Stephen's lips, he finally fell silent, eyes widened to take in every fraction, every thought of movement.

Jed made a considering sound. “Where's that fight, Stephen? Your spark? Or do you only save it for when your friends are in trouble?”

With a half-roll and a shove, Stephen dumped Jedikiah off the couch and onto the floor. The man let out a measured breath before he recovered, grinning up at Stephen like he was a gift.

“I don't know what you want,” Stephen forced out, holding his ground. “But I'm not gonna let you mess with my family.”

“And who said _anything_ about your family?” Jed asked. He grinned and sat up, movement fluid and feral, just like the glint of fight in his eyes and the coiled strength reserved in his muscles. He looked delighted, on a pure level, but for reasons far beyond the innocent. “I'm talking about _you_ , Stephen. Come with me, _work_ with me. We could do so much for so many. I could give you whatever guidance you sought. I could give you a challenge. I could give you whatever you wanted.”

Jed knelt at the side of the couch, too close; Stephen could feel the warmth of his conviction. It was what he imagined standing too close to the Sun might be like. Burning, damaging, and damnably enticing.

“Ask me for something and I will _give_ it to you,” Jed added, voice dropping to barely a breath. His eyelids went half-lidded, but the sheen still lingered beneath. Stephen knew better than to ever underestimate this man. And still, he didn't doubt the truth in Jedikiah's murmured vows. “I only ask that you give Ultra a chance. See what I do firsthand. Witness what a Breakout looks like when it isn't waking up in a neighbor's bed.”

His hand covered Stephen's where it held onto the edge of the couch for dear life.

Slowly, Jed inclined his head upward; Stephen followed his glance to the ceiling—just above them where his family's bedrooms were kept peacefully. “The more prepared you are, the better you can protect _them_.”

Stephen couldn't deny that. He considered it. Slowly, then, he nodded—just once.

It was enough.

In the flash between kneeling and standing, Stephen felt pressure and slickness make contact with his lips; the sweep of a tongue across the seam of his mouth—slack and open, now, shocked—for even at seventeen, Stephen had never been kissed. Especially not like that.

Fleeting as it was.

He gaped after the grinning Jed as he retreated, wandering to the front door where he plucked his coat from a hook and slid it on around his shoulders. Stephen watched, speechless.

“I'll see you on Monday, then. There will be a driver waiting to pick you up from school.” He shot a smug, knowing smirk at the boy. “And Stephen?”

Stephen stared, mouth working silently.

Jedikiah's smirk slid into a grin. “Consider what I said carefully. Like I said—I wouldn't deny you anything.”

And, inexplicably and to god-knows-where, Jed slipped out of the Jameson household and into the night—leaving Stephen to contemplate the large and sticky web he'd somehow managed to find himself in. He knew he was most certainly stuck—and, at the very center of his net, a creature with Jedikiah's vicious smile waited patiently.

Stephen could only hope that stolen kiss would not lead him to his death.


End file.
